PARIS -- French conglomerate Vivendi SA said Wednesday that its first-half revenue rose 23% to 18.2 billion euros ($19.1 billion) from 14.7 billion euros, on the back of recent acquisitions. Meanwhile, Suez Lyonnaise des Eaux said revenue slipped in the same period.

Vivendi said revenue for all of 1999 will exceed 40 billion euros.

The group said it benefited from two months' worth of revenue from U.S. Filter Corp., a U.S....